Former ODP Player Vicki DiMartino Selected By Western New York Flash in Inaugural NWSL DRaft

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

January 24, 2013-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased that Vicki DiMartino was selected the inaugural National Women’s Soccer League draft on January 18. She was drafted by the Western New York Flash in the third round.

"I see her as a talented player with a big upside," Western New York coach Aaran Lines told BigAppleSoccer.com during the NWSL Draft at the Indiana Convention Center.

Vicki, a forward, should become the third of four sisters to play professional soccer in the United States, following in the footsteps of older sisters Christina and Gina. They played for the Philadelphia Independence in the now-defunct Women's Professional Soccer. They have a younger sister, Rosie, the fourth sibling to standout at Massapequa High School who is expected to attend Boston College this fall.

The DiMartinos are the only four sisters to represent the United States in international soccer.

"Vicki has valuable youth international experience," Coach Lines commented. "She’s played on the U-23s. It is a player that I see that is at the next step below the National Team. I’ve yet to have a conversation with her. I am looking forward to catching up to her and having that conversation and we’ll take it from there. I see her as a talented player with a big upside."

Vicki played in 22 games for Boston College this past season, starting in 19, collecting two goals and six assists. She earned the Silver Boot as the second highest goal-scorer at the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2008, leading the United States to the final. In her debut for the Long Island Fury in the Women’s Premier Soccer League in 2009, she was the league’s leading scorer and led the Fury to the WPSL national championship, all while being marked by defenders a decade older than her. A year later, she won the Under-20 World Cup with the United States.

During her youth soccer days in the Long Island Junior Soccer League, Vicki starred for the Albertson Fury as well as developing her skills with ENYYSA’s Olympic Development Program.

With 123,843 youth soccer players––68,587 boys and 55,256 girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 12 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.